City celebrates No. 1 public utility ranking

11:53 PM,
Oct. 7, 2012

David Waddell, center, watches as Trenton Leggett and Lillie Granger dig for buried lines. The City of Tallahassee hosted a community celebration on Sunday at the Hopkins Generating Station, in honor of being named the number 1 utility in the country and Top Energy Innovator. The event kicked off national Public Power and Natural Gas Weeks, Oct. 7-13 and featured self guided power plant tours, field demonstrations by electric crews, fire fighters and police as well as activities for children.

Written by

Jordan Culver
| Democrat staff writer|@JordanCulver on Twitter

Julian Velasquez quickly saw the perks to having the No. 1 public utility in America stationed in his city Sunday afternoon.

The 22-year-old Florida State engineering student said he was uncertain about what he wanted to do with his degree prior to seeing what is offered at the Arvah B. Hopkins Power Plant on Geddie Road in southwest Tallahassee. After an "amazing tour" and spending some time with other engineering students, Velasquez said he can see himself working as an engineer with a power plant someday.

"It was more than I expected," he said, following his tour. "We got a private tour with ...